The Quiet Isle
by Omosirem
Summary: My imagination elaborating on Sandor's recovery at the Quiet Isle. The plot begins after he was left at the Trident to die and wakes up at the Quiet Isle partially recovered. There are OC's and some borrowed from GRRM's ASOIAF. I love the antihero of Sandor, I wish that he was covered more in the books, and I do my best to portray that here. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

This is my first attempt at a fanfic. Reviews are welcome. This is mainly my imagination elaborating on Sandor's stay at the Quiet Isle. There are OC's as well as characters/settings borrowed from ASOIAF by GRRM. This is **rated M**, please review rating before reading! Thanks for your time.

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In a small hut on the Quiet Isle Aurelia swung a worn copper kettle over the fire in her hearth. She had been tending the stragglers which came to the Quiet Isle for the past two months. Elder Brother had tended her wounds and slowly brought her back to the living after she had washed up on the shore along with the dead. The expectation wasn't ever truly announced that she should repay her debt, but it was made clear in other ways. He took in the other girls who had arrived with her as well even though it was against the custom of the good brothers who lived on the Isle; the small group of women were given two small huts to share and set duties to perform.

When she heard a groan coming from her patient, her eyes quickly flickered to the screened portion in the back of her small hut. The sleeping quarters at the back of the hut were large enough to fit a bed with a straw mattress, a short table beside the bed, and a low stool. The bed was scarce big enough for the man who now lay in it; his feet almost hung off the end of the frame and Aurelia had to get Evie to sew and extra few feet to the end of her blanket so that it would cover the big man.

Aurelia started as she heard her door slam against the wall.

"We're here!" Rosa announced suddenly.

"Gods be good Rosa, keep your voice down! He is still resting in the back and it would be best to keep him that way." Aurelia chided her flamboyant friend.

"Sorry Aura, Rosa and I will be more mindful of your charge in the future." Evie solemnly said before giggling behind her hand. Aurelia was sure that Evie's vow would be forgotten by the next time they came to deliver bandages.

"Speak for yourself." Rosa grumbled as she set her basket upon Aurelia's low table in front of her hearth, Evie quickly followed suit and deposited her basket she had come in waving about merrily.

Rosa was the younger of the two women at two and twenty, though not by a full four name days, and the difference in their ages became more clear when Evie was lacking sleep. Evie was a petite woman with black hair and a set of deep brown eyes which contrasted starkly with her pale skin. Rosa was thicker about her figure, with an ample bosom, and had wavy auburn hair which bordered on red. Of the three women who arrived on the Quiet Isle, Rosa was always calling the most attention to herself which didn't bother the other women at all. Rosa was always the most bold in good company, and the meekest when they needed to struggle. This is probably what kept her safe from being raped as much as the others.

Shaking her head of her dark thoughts Aurelia flashed a quick, but damp smile at her friends before offering them both a seat on the straw pillows at her small driftwood table. They had, after all, come to share their supper with her and not reminisce about their past.

"Have you brought washed bandages as well as supper?" asked Aurelia as she peeked inside both of the baskets which her friends had brought. The first basket contained newly washed and pressed white linen bandages, the second contained their dinner. "Fresh bread and fish stew. Is it too much to ask the brothers to catch crabs? Not that your cooking isn't good!" Aurelia amended quickly, "I am just sick to death of eating fish."

"I, for one, am grateful that I have a full belly and a warm bed." Evie said dryly. "Things are so much better now. I still have nightmares."

"As do I." Rosa whispered.

"Enough of this you two! Let us eat and be happy of each others company." Aurelia said overly cheerfully and quickly as both of her friends began to echo her previous thoughts. "After tending the wounded all day I feel almost trapped! I want to hear everything about the happenings of your day."

Rosa and Evie looked so defeated sitting across the table that Aurelia's heart wrenched. She grabbed a hold of each of their hands and rubbed their palms with the pads of her thumbs. This seemed to shake them out of their troubled reveries and bring them back to the present. They all smiled simultaneously which lifted the troubled air from the room. It had been three days since they had talked of the past and Aurelia had considered this a great development.

"So, has the fever broken yet? Or will he still be unable to fall for my charms?" Rosa asked brazenly as she flipped her red hair over her shoulder, desire swirling in her eyes. "I can't wait to try and seduce him! I bet the whole of him is just as big as the rest!" Rosa's eyes went big at the thought and flickered to the screen in the back of the room.

"Well of course he is of equal size everywhere, why would he not be?" replied Aurelia. Both Evie and Rosa broke into peals of subdued laughter; and when they noticed that Aurelia seemed to be lost on the jest they only laughed harder. Aurelia didn't mind however, at least her friends were laughing. She smiled quizzically. The maester had always told her that to be a true healer one had to know how to heal the mind as well as the body, and that laughter was one of the easiest ways to heal the mind.

"Gods Aura, you are such a maid. She means his member, girl. That his member is proportioned well to his massive body." Evie answered still full of mirth and beginning to look much younger already. Aurelia's cheeks burned at the thought of her patient's member.

"You mean to tell me, that every time over the last turn of the moon that you have changed the bandages on his upper thigh, which are dangerously close to his member, you haven't been tempted to peek at the sheer size of it! I really cannot believe this." Rosa shook her head still giggling. "If I were in your place Aura I would have peeked a dozen times by now!"

"He is my charge! I am not supposed to want to peek at… at his… it's not proper to look on a patient thus! Elder Brother would be so disappointed if he found out." Aurelia rubbed at the bridge of her nose with her forefinger, her brow crinkled.

"Is that the only reason you haven't peeked then? No one would know, we could go and peek now and no one would be the wiser!" Rosa pushed as she leaned forward over the table.

"Absolutely not! That would be most improper!" Even as Aurelia dissented the other two girls were pulling apart the sheets that formed the screen. "Rosa! Evie! What if he wakes!"

"Hush Aura! He will wake if you don't stop your incessant worrying." Replied Evie. "He looks almost a different man doesn't he, while he is sleeping. There is almost no resemblance."

Aurelia abruptly stopped in the entrance frames by the sheets. She knew that Sandor and Gregor Clegane were brothers, but had never found significant resemblance in their faces. Sandor's burned side of his face was horrible to look upon, but his unburned side was gentle and peaceful in sleep most of the time. He had nightmares; Aurelia supposed it must be hard not to have them with having lived such a hard childhood, which sometimes contorted his face into rage. That was when he most resembled Gregor.

"Quickly, let's take a peek!" Rosa shrilled quietly. Evie and Rosa approached the bed silently, unsure of the current state of the sleeping patient. "Has he woken since you have given him milk of the poppy this morning?" Rosa looked behind her at Aurelia standing in the makeshift entrance. Aurelia shook her head quietly. Evie slowly lifted the sheet away from Sandor's sleeping form and rested it on the tops of his thighs. The top of the large bandage that Aurelia was going to have to change soon was showing, as were his small-clothes.

His breath came even from his chest, causing it to rise and fall slowly. Aurelia's breath was not coming even, but she willed her heart to be silent in her chest lest one of the other girls hear it. They would relentlessly tease her if they found out she found feelings for her patient. The multitude of scars that covered Sandor's body were very familiar to her, as she had washed and tended his wounds for the past weeks. Elder Brother always washed Sandor's privates though, as relations between the opposite sexes were greatly discouraged on the Quiet Isle. He was generous enough to offer them shelter and anonymity from prying travellers.

As Evie gently lay down the blanket Rosa slowly lifted the top of his small-clothes. "Gods," Rosa cursed as she sharply inhaled. "He must be having a very good dream. I hope it is about me."

"A very good dream indeed." Evie murmured her brown eyes wide.

"What is it? What about good dreams? Is it as big as the rest of him?" Aurelia blushed while she asked her last question using the same term her lewd friends had.

"Well come see then!" Evie whispered mirthfully. "You'll never know if you don't come and check for yourself." Rosa looked over at her grinning motioning her over with her hand.

Aurelia took a step forward letting the curtain fall closed behind her, she took another. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She looked at his face still relaxed in sleep, and at his evenly rising and falling chest. Rosa still help up the waist of his small-clothes and Evie was smiling unabashedly at Aurelia as she stepped closer.

"Yes, come over to the dark side!" Evie giggled as Aurelia closed the gap between herself and the bed. It wasn't as if she had never seen a mans member before, Aurelia tried to reason with herself, she was after all a captive of Gregor Clegane and his men for months.

As Aurelia slowly leaned forward the kettle over the fire began to whistle and the spell of the moment was broken. She pulled back as if singed by flame and reddened when she realised that Sandor had been woken by the kettle. He peered groggily at the women in the small space with him. Aurelia fled to the hearth to remove the water from the flames. Rosa and Evie followed on her heels ringing peals of laughter. They collapsed on the pillows by the table hooting at their daring and the look on Aurelia's face.

"Gods Aura you should have seen your face! It was the funniest thing I've seen in months!" Rosa said as she grabbed her side from laughing.

"There isn't anything funny about this at all! That was terrible! I cannot believe you almost had me going along with you!" Aurelia took the basket of bandages from the table and placed them on a counter next to the fireplace. She huffed over to the fireplace where she removed the steaming water from the fire and poured it over some herbs in a glass. Half of the water went into a basin with a bar of soap, and the rest into a teapot. "Can you two please stop misbehaving for a moment while I go and change his bandages? Get dinner ready. Please." Aurelia gathered the basin from the counter and tucked some bandages into her skirt pocket.

"Ok, ok. We will settle ourselves." Evie said as her giggles were subsiding. "Are you sure you don't want one of us to go and tend to his needs tonight? I sure wouldn't mind. Looks like he is in the mood to enjoy it too." Evie waggled her eyebrows at Aurelia suggestively as she picked up the basin to go and wash Sandor. As Aurelia reached to open the curtain she felt a tremor of apprehension move through her. As she moved the curtain aside she noted that Sandor was still awake and eyeing her steadily as she moved into the small space.

Aurelia walked over to the side table and set down the basin of steaming water. Tendrils of steam rose into the air next to Sandor's head. Aurelia removed the bandages and set them next to the basin, removing one from the top of the pile and dropping it into the water. She sat on the stool next to the bed, wondering how she would ever be able to meet Sandor's eyes without turning red as an apple after being caught red-handed trying to look at his member.

"How are you feeling this evening?" Aurelia asked while she leaned over the bed to touch her wrist to Sandor's forehead. His eyes now sharp and focused burned into hers. "You seem to feel faring better than before. Your fever broke three nights ago."

"How long have I been here?" he managed to croak out, looking very alarmed.

"Elder Brother found you a moons turn ago. I have tended to your wounds here since then, with the help of Elder Brother of course." She added hastily, not wanting to think that he had been fully exposed to her. "He helped with much of the tending." Blushing a deep shade of red, Aurelia lowered her eyes from the penetrating stare of the man.

"I don't give a hair off my arse if you have seen all of me. You wouldn't be the first wench, and you won't be the last." His laugh grated on her ears. Aurelia was mortified; she was shamed further at beinglaughed at by someone she had begin to admire.

"I'll get you something to drink." She said quietly as she stood and walked away. As she emerged from behind the curtain the two women at the table gave her pitying looks. They had guessed her feelings and understood the disappointment that Aurelia was feeling. Aurelia went to the counter and retrieved the glass that was filled with herbs. She turned to Rosa and Evie.

"I think it is time for us to take our leave. If you'd like, come to visit us in the kitchens later." Rosa said brightly. "Make sure you tell your patient we would give him our best, but you're chasing us out." She winked at Aurelia and stood from the table where they had served her a trencher of fish stew.

"We'll eat in the kitchens. If he is awake now and aware, he will most likely be hungry. Take care Aura." Evie moved to hug her friend. "Be strong." Evie whispered into Aurelia's ear before she took her leave. Rosa followed Evie to the door and giggled on the way out.


	2. Chapter 2

After Evie and Rosa left her, Aurelia returned to the curtain and tied back the sheet so that Sandor would be able to look around the rest of the small sparsely decorated room he was staying in, hoping that this might make him more comfortable and less irritable. Just three days prior she had discovered that Sandor's fever had abated. Aurelia thought he would be coherent within the next fortnight, but she hadn't counted on him waking so quickly.

"Here is some tea for you to drink; it will help with the healing. Are you feeling well enough to eat? I have some stew and bread for you to eat if you feel well enough for it." Aurelia kneeled beside the bed again and tested the temperature of the water that was in the basin on the side table. It was hot, but not scalding, useable for washing. "I am going to wash you before you eat though. Here you must drink this." Aurelia raised the cup to the lips of the man. His beard lightly scratched her hand on one side, the burned side not growing any hair. Elder Brother had just shaved him four days prior, but he was already sporting a decent growth. As Sandor drank from her cup he steadily looked into Aurelia's eyes, unnerving her, reminding her of Gregor.

"That tastes like warm piss, don't you have any fucking strong wine, wench." He rasped to Aurelia while leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"You don't have to be so bloody rude you know." Aurelia flared, her eyes narrowing. "I've done nothing wrong by you for the past month. Look at you, as weak as a baby laying here at my whim." She mocked Sandor, trying to belittle him as he had her. His eyes remained closed however and she fumed, pinching her lips together, that he was further scorning her by ignoring her anger. "And I'm no wench." She finished softly while blushing.

At that, he cracked open one eye to study her. "So, you're not a whore? Your friends both seemed to be. They couldn't keep their eyes off my cock while I was sleeping; looks as if they have been starved of it for weeks. It's bloody strange to find a maid in the midst of wenches."

"You heard us! Why didn't you let on!?" Aurelia cried mortified, quickly thinking of everything that could have been overheard.

"Why should I have? They made it clear what their trade was, and I thought for a moment that I might have died and gone to heaven. Most whores don't want to sleep with me until after I've paid; and even then reluctantly." He shrugged as best he could and tried to push himself into a sitting position. "More importantly, where the bloody hell am I? Is this a shabby brothel?"

"You mustn't! You're still too weak!" Aurelia cried as she tried to stop Sandor from sitting up, her hands splayed on his chest. With a grunt he fell back to the mattress, a small amount of blood began to stain the bandage on his head wound. Aurelia leaned over him to see his bandage as it began to slowly redden. His hand snaked to her chin and caught her face in a vice grip.

"Where the fuck am I lass?" Sandor emphasized the last word. Aurelia looked into each of his eyes, their faces a handspan apart. She grabbed the wrist of the hand that held her face. One of her hands could barely circle halfway around his wrist.

"You're on the Quiet Isle. This is the home of Brothers of the Faith. They traverse the nearby region trading, healing, and offering ministrations to the villagers." She returned icily. "Remove your hand ser."

"I am no fucking ser." He spat. "What the fuck is a band of whores and one maid doing living amongst the Faith?" Sandor rasped slowly pulling her face towards his, eyes boring into hers.

Aurelia's faced flamed as she closed her eyes trying to shutout her past. "We are hiding here. The Brothers are kind enough to let us stay and help them with chores. They say it is a good opportunity to help the other women repent, and I help heal. I am a healer." One tear slipped down her cheek and fell on Sandor's face. His eyes fell away from hers as he loosed his grip on her chin. She sat back down on her knees beside his bed defeated, her indignation having left her. Quickly he wiped away her tear from his cheek. "I'll help you to sit up if you would like. It seems that you have healed quicker than I would have thought."

"My damn muscles have wasted; I've laid here for a fucking month. I've had enough of lying around. Help me stand." He demanded, though not as roughly as before.

"We can wait for Elder Brother tomorrow for that. I'll prop you up for now with pillows, wash you, and then you may eat. Will you be wanting milk of the poppy anymore?" Aurelia asked as she helped Sandor to lean forward while she pulled the pillows around him behind his back so that he could sit forward, worried about his freshly bleeding head wound.

"Not a fucking chance. I don't mind pain. I need to start moving again. This would be easier with wine." Sandor growled and closed his eyes wearily.

Aurelia moved to the wash basin and lathered the cloth with some soap to begin washing Sandor's neck where some blood trickled below his bandage from his previous outburst. She sat on the edge of the bed and pushed back his hair to remove the bandage and begin washing his neck and the side of his head. She carefully patted the wound directly, and gently scrubbed the rest of the dried blood away. He watched her face silently while she was before him.

As she bandaged his head anew and began to work as cleaning his chest and arms Aurelia found it easier to avoid Sandor's eyes. She focused on her task business like, repetitively soaping, rinsing, and moving to a new location. She washed down each arm above and below. Slowly dragging her cloth in long strokes down his scarred chest she began to be aware of her mind wandering. At twenty years she was no stranger to what happened in the marriage bed. Her face heated. She was aware of Sandor's eyes beginning to roam her body, and she felt shabby in her patched and faded green roughspun dress.

"Like what you see lass?" A dark chuckle rumbled from his chest, Aurelia could feel the reverberations in her hand. Her eyes flickered up to his face where he was looking at her knowingly, his eyes dark. "Ever have an itch you would dearly love to scratch just out of reach? I might have to look for one of your friends later. They seemed very interested in what it is I have to offer."

"I'm sure that they would be." Aurelia said quietly, barely above a whisper escaping her lips. Sandor snorted with derision. She moved to cleanse his lower wound, sliding the sheet to cover just his feet. She soaped and rinsed his good leg before moving to the next. She had cleansed everything below his waist except the gash on his thigh. She removed the bandage from his leg and slowly patted it clean as she had done with his head. She wrapped the wound and raised the sheet to his abdomen letting it fall quickly from her hands, still embarrassed about the previously caught indiscretion. "I'll go and get your dinner. Be prepared to begin eating fish everything. It's all we get around here." She collected the basin of dirty water and moved through the opening to bring him his dinner.

She moved beyond the opening into the larger part of the room placing the dirty water on her counter beside the hearth. When she turned around she could see Sandor steadying himself on the wall, already standing. It quickly crossed Aurelia's mind that perhaps she had underestimated his strength. She had felt and seen Gregor's strength first hand, so why she had counted Sandor as weaker, she would never know.

"What the hell are you doing?!" She cried. "You are going to make your wounds worse!" Her reprimand had no effect on Sandor. He grunted as he tested his injured leg. She crossed the room and placed her hands around his waist to steady him. He stood, albeit clumsily, and leaned some of his weight on her. She stood as high as his lower chest. Slowly, more or less having to follow under the force of his weight, they hobbled past the screen. Sandor nodded to his left in the direction of the chamber pot, which was at the back of the hut, to indicate he had to relieve himself. When they reached their destination, a scant five paces later, he reached into his small-clothes to remove himself.

"I'll leave you for a moment while you relieve yourself." Muttered Aurelia as she averted her eyes and walked away. She moved to the other side of the room, leaving him to lean on the wall. Her heart was pounding from their previous encounter. It had been easier to calm her desires when she could not feel his muscles flexing beneath her hands. What felt like hours of sitting with him was only mere moments as the kettle she had poured boiling water into was still very hot. She poured herself a cup of tea to settle her nerves and found the warmth of the cup to be very soothing. After a moment she heard that Sandor had finished relieving himself. Quickly, she returned to his side to help him to the table. "Here is dinner, it isn't much, but it is warm and will fill your stomach."

Sandor ended up eating both stew trenchers and one of the loaves of bread. Aurelia ate half of the last loaf with some butter she had on the counter. Sandor sat adjacent to her drinking a cup of tea and studying his surroundings.

"So, who do I bear no resemblance to?" Sandor asked abruptly. Aurelia caught off guard, coughed on her tea. Her face darkened and closed as her gaze lingered on the knots in the driftwood table.

"I'd rather not talk about that." A pregnant silence filled the room. Her mind wandered over the conversation that they had shared. The more she began to consider it, the more slighted she felt and more riled she became from his previous comment about preferring her friends company. Aurelia decided that she needed air, his presence over whelming her and affecting her far too much. "How about I go and get one of my friends to keep you company." She beamed at Sandor. Without waiting for an answer she abruptly stood, opened the door of the hut, and walked into the cool night air. Aurelia leaned against the side of the building, pressing her forehead to the cool stone. Feeling her face, which hadn't ceased its damned blush since Sandor had woken, begin to calm she began walking to the kitchens to find the girls.

"Hello Aura!" A chorus greeted her as she walked into the building. Several of the girls were baking bread for tomorrow still, while others worked at the wash near the back of the long room. Three ovens covered the walls along half of the room, with matching hearths on the other side. She spied Rosa and Evie working with Corina kneading bread on a table in the center of the room.

"How is our patient doing this evening? Hmm?" Rosa smiled sweetly at Aurelia.

"Actually, he has asked for your services." Aurelia retorted quickly. Regretting the bite to her words she smiled as sweetly as she could, not meeting Rosa's eye.

"Truly Aura!? I'll be off then! Mind you knock before you come in!" With that Rosa pranced from the kitchens and to Aurelia's hut where Sandor was waiting. Evie and Corina eyed Aurelia knowingly.

"Are you sure that you are ok with Rosa tending Sandor darling?" Evie asked Aurelia with compassion in her voice.

"I am sure; it will be pleasant to have a break from being his maid." Aurelia held no conviction in her voice, but simply sounded overcome as she leaned on the counter the women were working on. "He was uncouth and taxing to be around. Not at all what I had imagined him to be." Evie and Corina nodded sympathetically.

"They usually aren't what you imagine to be are they?" Corina muttered, as she kneaded her bread harder. The two women separated the extra dough left by Rosa between them to be kneaded and shaped. "Where are you heading to now Aura?"

"I think I need some air. And I have to give Rosa time." Aurelia flushed as she said this, wondering if Sandor would bed the woman, if he had enough strength, or whether she would tend to him other ways. "I'll see you two later." With a wan smile Aurelia left the kitchen to walk along the beach where the cool night spray of the water could land on her face and clear her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

"That Rosa, always meddling where she doesn't see she is in the way." Corina said tersely. "How do you think our young friend will feel if Rosa beds Sandor tonight?" She rubbed between her eyebrows with the side of her hand, leaving a smudge of flour behind.

"I am not sure, but I am going to go and find Rosa and make sure she doesn't… engage… in something that will upset Aurelia. Get one of the other girls to shape loaves when my dough is finished rising will you please." Evie moved towards Corina to quickly swipe away the flour with her towel. Corina flinched at being touched so suddenly, and Evie's hand fell away. She smiled limply at Corina before covering her loaf to rise with the towel. "I will be back later." She walked towards the door of the kitchens, not bothering to don one of the robes hung by the door she would usually have to if it were light outside.

Being one of the older women in the group along with Corina, Evie had been able to tell for a while that Aurelia had developed feelings for her ward. She oft walked into Aurelia's hut, finding her singing where before she would have been silent and withdrawn. However, there was great disappointment in finding that someone you loved from afar was not going to live up to expectations.

Evie started down the path towards Aurelia's hut. She was four lodgings past the kitchens when she came to Aurelia's door. The hut was relatively quieter than what Evie had prepared for; the sounds coming from inside the whitewashed walls were greatly muted. She knocked on the door twice before she entered. She was shocked at what she found. Rosa was massaging Sandor while talking with him quietly.

They were seated at the table in front of the fire. Sandor had the sheet from the bed wrapped around his lower body so that Rosa could work on his back. He was sitting as far away from the fire as possible. The burned side of his face was partly covered by his lank black hair that was brushed to the side as well as it could be with the bandage around his head. His face was scowling in pain from his muscles being worked after atrophied. What game is this she wondered?

"Good evening m'lord. It is a pleasure to see that you have recovered greatly since being here." Evie began using her pleasant manners learned as a whore. It always paid well to be as pleasant as possible.

"Whores always give the best massages. My bloody back has been killing me from lying in that bed. Come help your friend rub some life into me wench." Sandor growled at her.

"If it pleases you, please call me by my name ser. I am Evie." Evie asked without removing her eyes from Sandor, regarding him as steadily as he was her.

"I am no bloody ser." He glowered at Evie, while Rosa moved to his left arm.

"As you wish. How should I call you then?" Evie said very calmly as she moved a cushion from beside the table to sit beside Sandor on his right.

"You don't recognise my lovely face?" Sandor snorted. "I fucking doubt that. The Hound's beauty is known everywhere in the south; especially this close to Lannister territory." Evie began to knead his muscles along his right arm.

"I've heard that the Hound is dead. The Elder Brother made his cairn along the banks of the Trident." Evie said quietly, peering up at Sandor through her lashes to judge his reaction to her words. His eyes remained trained on the fire ahead of him, though she could feel his muscles tense at her words.

"Dead and buried, a cairn marking his grave. It's certainly more than I fucking deserved." He repeated slowly. "So, what is to become of me then? Of Sandor." A quiver of uncertainty in his voice.

"Whatever will be, will be. You have an opportunity to begin again; such a gift is rarely bestowed in life." Evie replied.

"Sweet words. No one sees past my face. Every fucking king in Westeros wants to kill me for one reason or another. How do you propose I begin again with such a lovely face and past?" Sandor rasped while deepening his scowl at the fire.

"I would begin slowly." Evie replied simply. "Elder Brother will want to speak with you tomorrow. You will likely be given shelter and duties to perform. No one stays for free. We women work in the kitchens laundering and cooking. Aurelia heals. We aren't allowed out during the day, unless it is necessary. This is for our safety of course. You will most likely become a novice; they cover their faces and take vows of silence. An acceptable disguise, no?"

"We will see." Rosa had finished massaging Sandor's arm and sat back on her cushion, cowed by his intimidating presence. Her earlier demeanour having evaporated. "How many live on the Isle? What do they do here?"

"The war has not touched here. It is beautiful outside during the day. We are the only women, apart from those who come seeking a healer. Elder Brother is famed in this region for his healing. There are many of the faith, all men and boys. They live in the cloisters up hill. We don't see much living hidden away as we do." Evie tired of massaging Sandor's arm sat back on her cushion. She looked at Rosa's pallid face and pitying her, decided that she had suffered enough. "Rosa darling, could you go and get us some mead from the kitchens?" Rosa looking relieved to be excused from Sandor's presence nodded and scrambled to her feet and walked toward the door.

"It was pleasant to meet you m'lord." Rosa bobbed before quickly turning and walking out into the cool night air.

"What is wrong with her? She seemed livelier earlier this evening when she thought I was asleep." Sandor rasped as he nodded in the direction Rosa had just left.

"You must remind her of someone." Evie said quietly. "There are five of us whores, and Aurelia makes six women total. Our lodgings are next door. That is not an invitation." Evie added sharply. "The Brothers have gardens, bees, a large mill, orchards, sheep, and famous mead and cider. That is what Rosa is bringing for us. The wine is not of very good quality as the grapes are small and tart."

"I need to get good and drunk with the way I feel right now." Sandor grated as he stretched his arms above his head slowly. "I don't think I've ever taken a beating in the practice yard that has left me this sore."

Rosa timidly knocked on the door before entering. She carried a large pitcher of mead in her hands along with two cups. She placed both cups on the table along with the pitcher and stood twisting her hands in the front of her blue dress. It was obvious that she was waiting to be excused.

"Not staying to drink with us?" Sandor looked at Rosa when she entered. "It must be my good looks as you can't seem to meet my eyes still." He leered at her.

"No m'lord." Rosa squeaked. "I'm needed in the kitchens. Corina was cross with being left the rest of the night chores. Your looks are… passable." Her face changed to match her hair colour, at her poor choice of words.

"Passable." Sandor grunted at her. "That is a generous answer." He replied darkly as he turned his gaze towards the fire again.

"Rosa, thank you for bringing the mead. If it isn't too much to ask could you go to find Aurelia at the beach?" Evie asked sweetly.

"Sure. Notaproblem." Rosa choked on her words, stringing them together. "M'lord." She curtsied again before leaving.

"How did a band of whores come to live with the faith?" Sandor questioned as Evie poured each of them a cup of mead.

"I am not sure m'lord that Aurelia would want us to divulge everything. It is quite a long and personal story. A terrible past forged a trust and respect between all of us women now residing here. You will have to ask Aurelia yourself." Evie replied calmly and quietly, averting her eyes from Sandor.

"I have pieced some things together from parts of conversations that I have overheard coming in and out of my fever. Is it my brother? Did he hold you captive?" Sandor asked avoiding Evie's gaze. Her hands had started trembling on top of her skirt at the mention of Gregor.

"Yes, both Gregor, and his men. We were prizes from his pillaging, whores for his men. Most armies have followers who entertain the men for coin, we weren't paid. Not captives exactly; if we ran we were hunted for sport, they did not restrain us. Staying and living might have been worse." Evie subconsciously leaned away from Sandor on the straw pillow. "Many of us have died. As I am sure you are not surprised. The five women you will find here are the only survivors."

"And Aurelia, how did she come to be a maid through all of this?" Sandor's eyes narrowed as he remained looking away from her and at the fire, ashamed of his brother, not wanting to face her. Evie understood his scepticism, it was very uncharacteristic for Gregor to leave any of the women he could get his hand on a maid. Not to mention that she was a beautiful maid.

"That m'lord, is her story to tell. I'm sorry but I wouldn't feel right exposing her to you that way. She had it the worst though; if that means anything to you." Feeling very sad, uncomfortable, and like she had said too much, she stood and placed a hand on Sandor's shoulder. "I think it is best that I take my leave now. Aurelia should be along soon." At the door Evie looked behind to Sandor. "If you have any regard for the woman who saved your life, keep your base remarks to yourself when you are around her. Or I will come to you in the night and slit your throat." And with that she left.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you very much for reading and for reviewing, it is so nice to hear that people have enjoyed my story. Rest assured, I have a plan! This plot I have in my head will last for many more chapters. For reference, I am using a narrative timeline put together by the wonderful SerMountainGoat. This is pure genius! ( www. sermountaingoat .co .uk/timeline/info/narrative_chart. png, You will have to remove the spaces from the link if you copy paste to go and look at it. I couldn't figure out how to hyperlink it to here) I have used the books while writing this story also, to try to keep it authentic, and this timeline has helped immensely! Once again, thank you for reviewing, and I hope that you enjoy my new chapter!

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The Trident was slowly meandering by; its water looked like molten silver in the moonlight. Evening tide was high as Aurelia sat upon a damp grey stone by the beach, her chin in her hand. The Quiet Isle looked like a secluded island when you could not see the mudflats for the tide being in. The water was not deep enough to row a boat in from the shore, it would only come up to the hocks of a horse; but this made it all the more treacherous to travel in when you could not see the tidal pools beneath the surface. A slight breeze coming in with mist from the surface of the bay chilled Aurelia. She turned her gaze to across the opening of the Bay of Crabs to the light of the Saltpans wondering whether the war had come to the people there yet; and if it hadn't how long would it be in coming.

She thought about the man who was staying in her small hut and her opinion of him. Love was too strong of a word; infatuation was more inline with her feelings. Perhaps it was normal to begin to care for someone if you spent enough time tending to them. Maybe she had confused the love a healer feels for a patient with romantic love? This did not explain the tightness she felt in her stomach while she was washing him as he was awake. It wasn't that she never seen a naked man before, as a healer she'd seen a few but not many men's privates. With Sandor it was different though, it felt intimate. Aurelia slowly rubbed the bridge of her nose with her index finger in frustration at not being able to sort her feelings.

She didn't notice Rosa coming down the stairs from the island until she was greeting her. "Aura, I'm glad I found you so quickly. Evie and Sandor are in your hut now. She's asked for your quick return." Rosa looked pale and nervous clasping her hands too tightly. Aurelia was shocked to see her friend uneasy because she had left flippantly in high spirits not an hour ago to tend Sandor. This felt more of something of a moment from their shared past. The look on her face was similar to when they had been in the company of Gregor and his men; the only difference being that she wasn't covered in bruises.

"Why aren't you still with Sandor? I've not even been gone an hour." Aurelia worried about what transpired between her friend and Sandor. Judging from the way that Rosa looked, Aurelia surmised that it must not have been anything good. "Are you alright?" Aurelia asked softly while standing and walking toward her friend.

"Oh, fine! I'm fine. I'm ok. It was surprising. Surprising to see how much he resembles Gregor when he is awake. His eyes, they were so dark. It just shook me, is all." Rosa was looking at Aurelia, but not seeing her; her blue eyes wide and vacant.

"Rosa, you don't look well. Are you sure that everything is ok? It saddens me to see you feeling poorly."

As if seeing her for the first time Rosa's eyes slid from Aurelia. "I didn't do anything… you know… He only wanted me to rub his back and arms to help the stiffness of his muscles. He is in quite a bit of pain from being in bed so long. He wasn't mean to me at all, just glared into the fire mostly. He made it rather plain that he didn't desire me." Relief of some sort must have moved onto Aurelia's features for Rosa gave her a small smile. "If you liked him so, you could have told me!" Her smile widened into a grin. Happy that her friend could forget her torments Aurelia decided to move on from yet another dark moment; she blushed a little bit.

"I'm afraid of him. It was easier to imagine him as kind and gentle while he was sleeping. He was weak and needed my help before. It was the exact opposite of…" Gregor. Both women knew how the sentence would end even though Aurelia's words died off. They stood facing toward the bay, watching the river flow slowly by. "And now, I am not sure how to look past the similarities. And I've only been around him for moments since he's been awake." She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair.

"It won't be so bad. You'll see. He IS different. I can tell already. I'm sure once we get used to him we won't even think about it after a while." Rosa put her arm around Aurelia's shoulders. "Feelings can be hard to shake. I was so worried about you tending him when Elder Brother brought him here. I was mad you were made to. And look, that turned out fine. I'm sure once you get used to him being awake that your feelings will change. His temper might soften." Rosa looked at her and smiled genuinely, from one friend happy for another. "I am glad that you have found someone to love. It might not be the easiest path, but I can tell you that you won't be disappointed!" She giggled; then the two girls broke into laughter. Aurelia slung her arm around Rosa's hip and they held on to each other, enjoying the levity. Aurelia wondered to herself if any path to love were easy.

They stayed silent for some moments simply watching the river flow past; unknown objects marring the silver of the water as they floated by. Many things washed up on the shore of the Quiet Isle; bodies, driftwood, coins, Aurelia and her companions. Everything that washed up was tended to by the brothers on the isle.

"I can't believe I almost listened to you two." Aurelia smiled through her words.

"All good things to those who wait, my mum used to say."

"What did you two talk about anyway? Did he ask after me?"

"As I said before, he remained largely silent. The flames, they seemed to trouble him. I'm not sure. It must have been awful, to have been burnt that badly. He seems self-conscious about them. He brushes his hair to cover the burns. It really only makes him look worse though, draws more attention to what he's hiding. Gods Aurelia, I told him he was passable." Rosa raised her hand to her wrinkled brow to rub away the creases. "I have no idea what I was thinking. I felt, tight all over, and suffocated. I needed to leave. It was awful."

"I'm sorry you had to experience that Rosa, truly I am."

"You should take him to the baths tomorrow. He smells awful even though you have been washing him." Rosa wrinkled her pert nose. "His muscles are wonderful though, now that I am feeling better its kind of pleasant to think about all of that rubbing I did." She smiled broadly at the bay.

"You lecher!" Aurelia swatted at her playfully with her free hand. "He is wonderfully muscled isn't he? Makes me wonder what it will be like when he has fully recovered." She said wistfully.

"We should return to the others though. It is getting late." Rosa detached herself from Aurelia's side.

Aurelia felt bereft from the sudden loss of heat. She moved her hands into the pockets of her apron to warm them. They passed the unkempt path that would have led to the women's lodges on the east side of the isle, and could see the large column of smoke rising from the chimneys of the kitchens ahead. Even in moonlight the Quiet Isle was a peaceful and beautiful place. The cloth sails rotating slowly on the mill, creaking softly in the night air. Some of the brothers were walking towards the wooden sept from the kitchens or the cloisters, for night prayer. It was two hours past sundown, nearly time to go to sleep, and so much had already taken place in one short night.

As the two women ascended Aurelia watched as Evie was leaving her whitewashed hut. Aurelia spied Evie before she had seen her. Immediately she knew that something was amiss, Evie looked very sad and her hands were shaking while she latched the door behind her.

"Evie! Wait!" Aurelia called up the gentle slope to her friend before she left. As they neared she asked under her breath, "What is the matter? Did he do something monstrous?" Evie's shoulders slumped and she broke down into tears, falling into Aurelia's arms, sobbing softly on her shoulder.

"Not at all. It was just so hard. Just… hard." Evie replied through her sobs. "He asked about our past. He already knew… about Gregor." Evie sighed as her sobs subsided. Aurelia looked at her friend sympathetically. She patted and smoothed Evie's brown hair before removing herself from her friends embrace and holding her hands. Rosa folded her arms around her middle and continued walking towards the kitchen. She was silent as she went.

"What did he ask?" Aurelia looked at her friend solemnly. She was nervous about any conversation that would include her past with Gregor.

"He knew it was his brother. Maybe you should tell him what happened, the truth that is. He is bound to find out from one of the other girls eventually anyhow." Evie replied as she wiped her face on her sleeve, turning the cloth a darker shade of brown where she wiped. She had survived the longest of the other girls. Aurelia was surprised that Evie, who was the most level headed and mature of the rest, had been shaken by Sandor's presence so deeply. How would the other girls fare?

"Where would I even begin?" Aurelia shook her head.

"I told him about us girls, he was asking. I didn't say anything about you though. I think that should be a private discussion between you two; especially because of the, nature, of the situation." Evie placed her hand on Aurelia's shoulder. Evie gave a nod before removing her hand and continuing behind Rosa to the kitchens, and eventually bed.

The moon hung high in the sky when Aurelia began turned towards her hut; it shone white in the light of the moon. Smoke wafted into the evening sky through her chimney. She thought of her time with Gregor, and the scars she had because of it. She considered the women that she had healed and led to the safety of the Quiet Isle. Would she be able to tell any of this to Sandor? Would it be appalling for him to hear more of the terrors of his brother? Would he desire her if he knew about her scars? Did she want him to desire her?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Without knocking on the door to her hut she entered the small room to find Sandor sitting by the table in front of the hearth made of large, smooth river stones, a cup of mead in front of him and a pensive look on his face. He had moved one of the cushions to the end of the table, as far away from the fire as he could have sat. The room was warm but not overly hot, the fire having died down since Aurelia had last put wood on. She stood in the entrance to her home, looking at Sandor as he sat calmly. She remembered that she still had not changed his bed linens or cleared the water from before that she had used to wash him. Aurelia was very particular in the cleanliness of her living space, and strode purposefully past Sandor into the small screened area in the back, not wanting to engage with him yet.

She swept the sheet from the straw mattress in one fluid motion to exchange for a clean one. Tucking the sheet beneath one arm she returned to the counter in the main area, the sheet was placed inside of the linen basket that Evie and Rosa had brought earlier in the evening. The cold, dirty cloth from the counter was wrung and placed inside the basket too. Working at the counter with her back to Sandor, she felt as if she could feel his eyes on her, coveting her body. However, it must have been her imagination because when she turned with the fresh sheets for his bed in her hands, he was still looking at the fire and she felt foolish for her thoughts. She moved again to Sandor's bed, covering it this time.

She stood silent with her thoughts after laying the sheet over the mattress. Aurelia knew it was in vain, but she smoothed the apron over her skirt and patted the frizz of hair that had escaped from her braid. She didn't think of herself as a beautiful woman; she had unruly brown hair and a long face. It had been a while since she had last seen her face in a looking-glass, and wasn't sure if she would recognize herself if she were to confront her reflection again. She imagined her eyes as looking tired and haunted.

The hut was quiet. The only sounds heard were the wood in the fireplace cracking or Sandor placing his cup again on the table; his deep and steady breathing the only constant noise. She turned and saw Sandor at the table. His broad, powerful back was to her, rising and falling slowly with his breathing. Without turning he eyed her warily from of the corner of his eye as she moved and sat to his left. The cushion left by one of the other girls was still warm.

"How was Rosa for you ser?"

"I am no bloody ser. Everyone knows the Hound is no knight. And she did a fine job of rubbing my back, as I asked her to." He smirked at the fire, still not looking at her. He found it entertaining how uncomfortable sexual innuendos made her. "Not what you had in mind was it, a back rub? What did you think I wanted lass?" He chuckled darkly, it sounded like steel grating against stone. His eyes hadn't shifted from the fire since she entered. Aurelia could feel her face heating up again already and she had only been in his presence for mere moments. His teasing her seemed to have immediate effect. How was she ever going to tend him now that he would be conscious for the remainder of his stay?

"I didn't presume anything about what you may have wanted." She snapped at him. "And you aren't the Hound any longer, he has been buried along the river, where you Sandor, have lived." He snorted at that. She lifted Evie's cup to her mouth to take a delicate sip of the mead, it was light and sweet on her tongue. She was acutely aware of his presence so close to her. The blanket covering the lower half of his body was wound tight around his thighs; tight enough to see the muscle straining beneath. Her eyes took note of where the sheet ended around his powerfully built midriff, and she found her thoughts wandering to when she had washed him an hour ago. Their thighs would have touched if she were to shift just slightly to the right. _Did she want him to desire her?_

"That is what I have been told." Sandor drained his cup of mead, it sounded hollow as he set it upon the table. He turned to look at Aurelia. "Did I speak at all, in my fever?" He demanded. She could feel him studying her profile but did not return his gaze as he had refused to look at her earlier. It might be petty, but Aurelia felt justified in her actions. She could feel a slow blush creeping up her neck the longer that he stared at her. In her nervousness she began to fidget picking lint and stray threads from her green skirt and brown apron. "Look at me." It was a command, not a request.

Aurelia turned and looked him directly in his eyes. His eyes were gray and his eyebrows pulled together in a menacing frown. The bandage on his head covered much of the burned side of his face as it had to be wound securely over the cloth pad that covered his ear. He had flipped as much of his hair as he could manage over the bandage so that it could cover his cheek and jaw, though it did a poor job. The burned skin on the left side of his face was puckered and warped; it looked red and raw even though the wound was old. His jaw bone was apparent under a thin layer of skin and muscle left after the fire. The unburned side of his face was not handsome, but looked strong Aurelia thought. Most of his mouth was left whole; the outer left corner twisted with the rest of his burn. Aurelia wondered what it would be like to press her lips to his.

"At little." Aurelia replied to be indirect. She felt self-conscious under his gaze; her hands were still fidgeting on her lap. "I could always tell when you were about to wake because you would start to mumble or make noise."

"And what exactly did I say?" He rasped, staring her down. Aurelia remained silent until he grasped her forearm tightly. "What. Did. I. Say?"

"N-nothing. Nothing I could make out anyway. Mostly groaning and muttering." She moved her eyes away from his and placed her hand over his gently. He moved his hand away.

"A dog always knows when he is being lied to lass. Don't ever lie to me again, or you will be wishing you hadn't." His threat sounded empty to Aurelia; only made for appearances. He didn't have the strength to catch her anyway, and from past experience she knew she was very good at running. She felt bad for lying to him, even though she didn't want to bring up the one name she'd understood from his ramblings. Maybe one day, but tonight she was not ready.

"It… it's only something I do not wish to talk about yet. That is all." He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, but did not press for an answer. Aurelia stopped fidgeting with her dress and smoothed the fabric beneath her hands. She looked at him again and gave a wan smile trying to lighten the mood. Sandor did not return her kindness; he merely looked away at the fire which was burnt down to the last log. This did not daunt Aurelia. "Tomorrow I am sure Elder Brother will want to speak with you. You will be able to see the isle and go to the bath house for a proper bath; it will do your body good to relax in some hot water. I am sure that you will want to be returning the strength to your legs as soon as possible." He nodded at her words.

Aurelia stood and moved toward the door where her pile of logs for the fire was. She felt more tired than she had in ages but unwilling to stay still any longer. She picked two from pile and the placed them in the hearth. As she turned she dusted her hands on her apron, this time Sandor was looking at her when she turned. He was no longer scowling; his face was blank, not revealing any of his thoughts.

"I'm ready for bed. Bloody tired and it's only been a few hours." Sandor ran his hands through his lank hair, grimacing at the pain caused by raising his hands above his head. "Come to me."

"Always commanding me." Aurelia placed her hands on her hips, challenging him. "What if I don't? What if I run from you?"

"Don't tease me girl. I will heal one day. After that, I would find you." Sandor answered seriously.

"Is that a promise?" He didn't return Aurelia's flirting, but cocked an eyebrow at her. It was the first time she had seen him look unsettled since he had woken. That reaction made her hopeful that she would be able to get him to open up. "Oh, very well then. Come, I will help you to stand." She moved to his side to help him stand. Aurelia was a small woman in stature. When she was standing in front of the seated Sandor, the top of his head reached two hand spans below her breasts. "What should I do?"

"Grab beneath my arms." She leaned forward putting her hands on his ribs, feeling his warmth seep into her fingers, his chest expanding with his breathing. Sandor put his hands on her hips to steady himself. Warmth blossomed over the area that he touched and spread to between her legs. Her woman's area began to throb slightly and her breath hitched in her throat.

Either Sandor didn't notice because of his pain, or he was completely uninterested in her as a woman. Both ideas were likely since he seemed to be extremely perceptive; picking up on the fact that Evie and Rosa were both whores without being told. As he slowly stood up the blanket at his waist fell away and he was left standing in his small-clothes in front of Aurelia. She noticed first that the bandage on his thigh had a thin stripe of blood in the middle, which was to be expected with the walking, she would have to check that before he went to bed. Secondly, she noticed the growing swell that was covered by his small-clothes.

As Sandor looked down on her Aurelia was reminded of how strong he truly was. His chest was broad and even though his muscles had atrophied somewhat while he was bedridden, they were still impressive. His hands remained on her hips, exerting a not ungentle pressure. She was sure that even in his weakened state if he would have chosen to press his hands together that he could have snapped her bones. Her hands remained on either side of his chest although he was already standing. The throbbing between her legs was becoming more intense the longer they stood gazing at each other. Her lips slowly parted. Sandor was the first to break eye contact.

"Seven hells." His hands dropped away from her hips, grazing the outsides of her thighs as they fell. She shivered before him and became acutely aware that her hands remained on his sides. She snatched her hands away, clasping them together in front of her, not knowing where to put them. Turning away from her Sandor began to shuffle slowly towards the bed. Aurelia bent to collect the blanket, giving herself a moment to gather herself.

"I'll have to look at your thigh again tonight before you sleep." He grunted noncommittally in response. She followed slowly behind, not wanting to touch him as she felt scorned somehow from his behaviour. He slumped to the bed looking worn, it squeaked beneath his weight in protest as he shifted himself to a comfortable position on the mattress. As he lay back against the pillows he looked up at her, the swell in his small-clothes gone.

"Where have you been sleeping?"

"I've been putting the sitting pillows together in front of the hearth as a mattress. It's nicer than sleeping here in a way. I love the warmth." Aurelia answered as she lifted his knee slightly so that she could examine his bandage.

"That's too bloody close to the fire. Too stupid to worry about being burned girl? Look at my damned face. Isn't that enough of a warning for you?" Sandor growled from below her. A crease formed from between her brows. She worked meticulously on wrapping his bandage after having seen that the wound had not been disturbed much from his actions today.

"You're not the only one to have been burned by Gregor you know." Aurelia looked Sandor steadily in the eye. He gave no reaction to her words other than letting his eyes wander over the skin that he could see. She knew that he would not be able to find what he was looking for; her scars were in areas she would not expose. She lowered his knee to the mattress, and pulled the sheet to cover him. His eyes never left her face, and never indicated what he might be thinking. She turned to make her bed for the night. As she pulled the ties to close the curtain she whispered, "Sweet dreams, Sandor."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to all for reading for the reviews. It really is great to read reviews! So, I struggled with writing some of this chapter because it was hard to reference the characters in the books! I hope it still feels authentic.

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_Aurelia was sitting in on a pile of furs beside a low brazier; it was just giving off enough light for her to make out the tear in the clothing that she was stitching. The garment was plain and black, rather unremarkable, save for its size. With most of the fabric pooled on her lap it looked like a dress that she might wear. Gregor Clegane was near eight feet tall. Though he was gigantic, she knew from firsthand experience that all of his girth was muscle. The hole in the fabric was from a stray blade during the last raid. A farmer's son had grazed Gregor's ribs with a kitchen knife; he had returned to the camp in a ferocious mood. It was Aurelia's job was to care for him and others within the camp that were wounded. She was also Gregor's woman, not to be touched by any other man within the camp. _

_Gregor and his men had been harrying the Riverlands for the past two moons. Aurelia was one of the things taken during the sack of Pinkmaiden a fortnight ago. His attack was under the cover of night and the castle had been unprepared to defend itself. He'd been wounded on his right forearm and had called for the maester of the castle, but unfortunately one of his men had already killed poor old maester Thomas. Luckily Aurelia had been studying under the maester, specifically healing. _

_The men had found her barred in a room with some of the other women from the castle. Aurelia couldn't remember much from the night, but one of the things that stood out in her mind still was the fear that coursed through her body as she had been slung over the pauldron of a helmed man. She thought that she was being taken to be raped as the others were being in front of her. She wasn't though. Aurelia had been unceremoniously dumped at the feet of Gregor Clegane. Since then she had been travelling with Gregor and his men as he moved killing, raping, and pillaging defenceless common folk. _

_Aurelia finished sliding the last stitch into the tear. She bit the thread with her teeth and tucked the needle away into her sewing things. The shirt she folded and returned to the chest of his things on the other side of the brazier. Standing in the middle of the tent Aurelia felt very small among Gregor's things. The area was cramped with his supplies for the road. Today he hadn't worn any of his armour and the breastplate that was left behind was massive; she could have fit his vambrance around her thigh. As she ran her finger down the middle of his grey breastplate she could feel the cold, smooth metal between the nicks. A warm hand on her shoulder. _

_"What are you doing touching my things Aurelia?" Not angry. He would have blood lust. Her heart pounded in her chest and her legs felt as if they would fall out from beneath her. Gregor's hand slowly slid from her shoulder to around her neck; he drew her to backwards until she was pressed to him. "I told you to never touch my things unless asked. If you are to be a good wife, you must be fucking obedient. Obey, serve, and live. I don't want to have to break you like one of my bitches. Speak."_

_"Sorry, my lord." Aurelia knew better now to not speak unless asked to; that had been one of her first lessons. His thumb stroked from her chin to the hollow of her throat. A sheen of sweat had broken on her brow. _

_"Should I take you tonight? I've waited for so long." He leaned over her and whispered in her ear. Gregor's voice was deep and gravelly. His free hand went to the front of her grey dress and began to untie her laces. Aurelia could feel herself start to shake under his hands. She knew that if he were to feel her fear it would only be worse. As he freed her breasts from her dress she could feel him hard against her. "You tremble for my touch, Aurelia? I will give it gladly." His hand moved from her breast to pull up her skirts. _

_"My lord, no, you mustn't, I have my moonblood!" Tears of shame and fright fell from Aurelia's eyes. Gregor leaned back and roared in laughter. _

_"One blood is the same as the rest. If I wanted to fuck you I'd do it whether you were on your moonblood or no. Go get a whore." Gregor threw her away from him and she fell to the ground of the tent. Her hands trembled as she laced the front of her dress. "Quickly!" He shoved her out of his way with a foot as he crossed the tent to sit on his pile of furs. Aurelia scrambled to her feet as she made for the door of the tent. _

_Once outside she heaved a breath of fresh cold night air, trying to calm herself. Gregor was a twisted man who would go to great lengths to torture his victims. Aurelia was repeatedly groped and fondled by Gregor, but he never took her. He told her that she was the reason his second wife had to die, and that he would not touch her until they were wedded. Until she could be used Aurelia had to go and fetch one of the other girls from the camp to appease Gregor's lust, and she would have to heal once he had finished with them. Aurelia didn't have the heart to stay and watch him torment the woman she had put in that position. _

_The camp was something that would have been from Aurelia's nightmares before. Gregor's men had their tents thrown up haphazardly; they camped in a clearing along the Red Fork. The men in the camp drank a lot, those who spent most nights drunk hadn't even bothered to set a tent but slept beneath the carts in their own piss and vomit. _

_Prisoners from the raiding were kept tied to a cart on the side of the clearing. Gregor had told them the first day that they were free to try and escape, but if they were caught they would be given to the Tickler. The first night a mother couldn't stop her young son from crying so they slit his throat, and then the mothers. Both were sent down the river. No one spoke after that. Aurelia looked over to the haggard people at the back of the camp. All of them kept their eyes low to the ground. A few huddled close to one another. _

_Aurelia wound her way through the camp her feet avoiding the churned mud as much as possible. She passed Chiswyck and Polliver's tents before she came to the center of camp. A large fire was being enjoyed by the armsmen and Aurelia kept to the shadows willing them not to notice her. Just on the other side of the circle was the women's tent where the mending and cooking took place, it was no easy feat to keep Gregor's men fed and clothed. Armsmen took the women for their pleasure as often as they wanted; the only woman in camp who was not to be touched was Aurelia. This only seemed to make them want to her more. _

_"Well hello there sweetling. Just imagine how sweet you are." Raff drawled as his eyes lazily roamed over her poorly tied laces at the front of her dress. He came away from one of the shadows. "My, my, what is it you have been up to? I can't wait to play with you one day too; after Ser's used you all up and thrown you away like his other women."_

_"You'd better stay away from me." Aurelia backed away from Raff slowly as he stalked towards her. He was tall, lithe and had a mop of sandy hair on his head. One of Gregor's favoured men. _

_"I'd think he'd forgive me, don't you? Hard to resist touching a pretty thing like you. He has a hard time controlling himself you know. He wants to fuck you bloody… well; you've seen the other girls. What he does to them. It's an exercise of will for him, a game. The other men and I, we have a bet going; my dates coming soon. I figure my chances will improve for him to fuck you if you aren't a maid any longer. He might even thank me for making the decision easier for him. It's only logical. So, if I pluck your flower, well you won't be so special anymore." Aurelia was focused on keeping an arms length away; she was intensely aware that Raff was beginning to direct her toward the fire with his body. "Come to me." He spoke softly, as if she was a horse that would be spooked. _

_Aurelia was prepared. Her hand was behind her back inside the belt at her waist; a small kitchen knife, three inches from hilt to tip, was hidden there folded carefully into the wide band of leather. As Raff's hand lashed out toward her, she dodged aside and brought the knife down on his forearm. It barely caught him but he drew back and grunted in pain, a murderous look passed over his face. As she tried to dance around him he grabbed a fistful of hair at the nape of her neck with his good arm. Raff yanked hard on her hair and she cried out. _

_"You fucking slut. You're coming with me." Raff's voice was always soft, it did not confer any intent. He caught the arm that held her kitchen knife. His blood from the cut ran in a rivulet over Aurelia's hand and onto the muddy ground. With one hand in her hair and another on her wrist she was twisting in his grasp as he held her before him. He pushed her forwards and she almost fell, but he hauled her back up by her hair painfully. _

_They were walking back the way she had come between the tents. Her head hurt awfully from Raff twisting his hand. As they neared the flap to Gregor's tent it flew open and he emerged. He focused immediately on Aurelia squirming in Raff's grasp. She still held the small knife in her hand. Gregor looked amused, though he often showed little emotion other than malice. _

_"Your little cunt cut me." Raff threw her at Gregor where she fell by his feet. "Did you know she was armed? I would've taken that knife and stuck it in her belly while I fucked her if she'd been any other woman." _

_Gregor bent to Aurelia and twisted the knife from her grasp; she avoided his eyes. He wiped the dirty blade on his pant leg before wrenching Aurelia to her knees by the hair so that she was facing him. She could feel the flat of the cold steel blade against her throat._

_"You've cut one of my best men; I've beheaded other women for less." Gregor dropped the knife in front of Aurelia on the ground before he backhanded her. She crumpled to the ground and could taste blood in her mouth from her lip splitting. "Go on, pick it up." It was a test it had to be. She looked from the knife to Gregor and finally Raff, who was smiling. "Pick it fucking up." Aurelia slowly grabbed the knife, it felt awkward and heavy in her hand now. "Get inside. I'm going to teach you what it means to disobey me. Go find yourself another whore, Raff. Go fuck Shitmouth for all I care. You knew that you weren't to touch her."_

_Aurelia twisted to her feet and moved to follow Gregor into the tent. She stuck out her tongue at Raff before she went inside. The brazier had been freshly loaded and it felt hot and stifling inside the small tent compared to outside. He moved to the pile of skins and sat down by the brazier. Reaching over to his cloak he unfastened the clasp, it was shaped like the dog of his sigil. _

_"Come." He motioned for her to sit on his lap and she obeyed. A glass of milk of the poppy was sitting beside him, half full. It was a good thing he came back in a good mood from raiding and started drinking before any of this happened. As Aurelia saw it, she had been extremely lucky so far, and was grateful for Gregor's protection from the other men. There was movement behind her but she knew that it would excite him if she moved to see what he was doing. Staying docile kept her safe. Her hands were resting on her knees and he reached to remove the small knife from her hand. "Keep this; you might need it one day." A laugh rumbled through his throat as he placed it on the side table next to his glass, which he then picked up to take a long draught. _

_Gregor's hands moved to rest on her thighs and she stiffened against him. This made his breathing ragged. _An exercise of will… _That's what Raff had said. Gregor was one of the most disciplined men in the Seven Kingdoms, as long as he wasn't in one of his moods. His fingers worked at her skirt, pulling it up and bunching it over her thighs so that her small-clothes were showing. Gregor moved her calves to the outside of his legs so that hers drew apart. The cloth of his pants scratched her bare legs on the backs of her thighs. She could still taste blood in her mouth. _

_"Ser… please no… I beg of you…please… don't do this…" Aurelia sobbed feeling overwhelmed with powerlessness. Gregor laughed behind her and she could feel the rumble of his chest against her back; it was malicious and eager. "I'll be good… I'll be better next time…"_

_"Don't speak unless I've invited you to Aurelia. Better, yes. Stop, no. You need to be taught a lesson; you need to learn what is _appropriate_. I will make things better, easier for you. This way, no other man will touch you without thinking of me. I'll protect you." Gregor said in her ear. "Don't you want me to protect you?" Aurelia forced herself to nod in response to his question. She had stopped crying but what trembling uncontrollably at the thought of what it was he was going to do. "Good. Hold still."_

_Aurelia turned her head slightly to the right so that she could see what he was doing. She watched him place his large leather glove on his right hand. Her heart began to pound erratically in her chest as he picked some thing small from the brazier with his gloved hand. He moved his hand level with Aurelia's face so that she could see what it was he was holding. The cloak clasp was glowing red. She could feel the heat emanating from the small metal object on to her face. _

_"What are you going to do with that?" She felt stupid for asking the question, but couldn't think of anything better to say._

_"Do not move, Aurelia." Gregor spread his legs apart, forcing hers wider. "This is really going to hurt." He moved the clasp to between her legs and she began to whimper in anticipation of the pain that was coming. _

_When the hot steel of Gregor's clasp touched the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, she began to scream. _

"Aurelia! Aurelia! Wake the fuck up! Seven hells!" Aurelia's eyes flew open to Sandor hovering above her scowling. In her nightmare she had lashed out at him, there was a scratch on his neck and two on his forearm. She was pinned beneath him, one of his hands encircling her wrists above her head. Her chest was heaving, covered only by her shift, as she tried to even out her breathing and stop her heart from beating so fast. His other hand was holding her chin steady forcing her to look up at him. Relief flooded her as she realized that she was only dreaming, and was not trapped with Gregor again. He must have noted this on her face for he let her go and slumped against the table. She was soaked in sweat.

It had been a long time since she had nightmares about Gregor. When she first arrived at the Quiet Isle they came infrequently and eventually stopped all together. Living them again now, after she thought that she was better, was awful. A quick look at the door told her that dawn had still not yet come.

"Sorry… I… have nightmares sometimes." Aurelia managed to croak out.

"I'd bloody say so." Sandor snorted. "What the fuck were you dreaming about?" He looked overexerted from having to restrain her. She must have been crazy to think that he would ever desire her. If he ever saw what Gregor had done to her, he would be repulsed. She realized suddenly that she was in her shift, with the fabric twisted around her legs. Her leg still burned where her scars were from the dream. She sat up and reached to straighten her shift so he wouldn't see her scars; she was embarrassed by them.

"Nothing particular. Here let me help you back up." Aurelia stood in front of Sandor and tucked her hair behind her ear; she had loosened it for bed. He placed his hands on her hips in the same way as earlier, however, this time Aurelia felt no stirrings at his touch. Her manner was much more clinical than it had been before. He seemed to notice since he released her as soon as he was standing, not looking at her face. Aurelia didn't follow him to help him to bed this time either as he limped away. She sat down on her makeshift mattress in front of the fire. "Thank you for waking me Sandor."

"I know what it's like to be tormented by dreams lass. Try to get more sleep."


	7. Chapter 7

Hello everyone! I am sorry that it has taken me so long to get this posted. I went today over my previous chapters and edited them, very surprised at the mistakes! Wowza. I post as soon as I finish, without editing much, so I apologise. As I have said earlier, I have the vision. The time and discipline, perhaps not so much. I hope that you enjoy the continuation of the story. This chapter went places I didn't know it was going to go. I feel like the ending is a bit lame... thoughts and reactions? Thanks again for reading my imaginings about what may have happened to GRRM's characters!

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During the night Sandor had limped to the table in front of the fire to bring back the piss warm mead to his bed. It wasn't enough to make him as drunk as he wished he were, but it was enough to take the edge away from the pain throbbing in his leg. His loss of muscle mass and unintentional refrain from drinking over the past month gave the alcohol some extra potency.

Morning was coming much too slowly for Sandor. He sat awake for the remainder of the night listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing and murmuring. His thoughts centered on the knowledge that the poor woman laying on the floor a short way from him had been tortured by his brother. These thoughts weighed heavily on him as he churned through the different possible reasons why Gregor would have for tormenting her, other than simply being a vicious and loathsome fuck. His jaw repeatedly clenched along with is fist on the bed as he thought of the various ways that would give him pleasure in killing Gregor.

He was frustrated with his current situation, his lack of ability. Sandor already knew that it would take a long time for this body to heal enough for him to return to his previous lifestyle. Seeing the gash on his leg as Aurelia changed his bandages earlier this morning dropped his spirits. He wasn't sure if he would be permitted to stay or whether he would be made to go. If the brothers of the Isle wanted him dead, he supposed he would be already. Sighing he lifted the jug to his mouth and took a long draught of mead.

"Gregor… no... don't… I'll be good." Aurelia murmured in her sleep as she shifted again. He hoped she didn't fall into hysterics again, he didn't think he would have enough strength to go and rouse her a second time. He definitely did not feel like resting in bed listening to a woman screaming all night. If any one heard her screaming they probably would have expected it to be because of him. Sandor was surprised that Evie hadn't already come to break down the door and slit his throat from the last fit Aurelia had.

Sandor was tired of hearing his brother's name. She must have muttered it a dozen times. He wondered how fucked up she was from being with him. Hell, he'd lived with Gregor and look how he had turned out. Warped, bitter, _burned_. He wondered how she knew that Gregor gave him is striking scar. She was burned as well, she claimed. Where? Her dress left a lot to the imagination, but he hoped for her that they were minimal. Some how he knew that they would be in a very conspicuous area, Gregor liked to see his dirty work on display, he liked to be reminded of his power over others.

His hand subconsciously rose to his burned cheek to feel it. It was a strange feeling, to touch your own face but only be able to know your hand was there from the pressure on your finger tips. Dropping his hand into his lap he studied the scratches from Aurelia. They were superficial, but red and angry looking. Like her face was when she clawed him as if he were the Stranger himself. She was so small compared to him but holding her down had proven challenging in his current less than state.

Seeing as he was completely incapable of moving himself without extreme pain, Sandor decided to try and rest. Leaning back he closed his eyes and willed sleep to overcome him. When it did not he let his mind drift. Thinking back over the previous hours he wondered how hard it would actually be to get one of the whores to bed him, or at least give him relief in some other way. He didn't think it would be likely for Aurelia to bed him, since she couldn't seem to touch him without clouding with lust, only to be ashamed of her reactions.

He began to feel him self stir at the thought of the little red headed one touching him earlier. His hand lowered itself into his smallclothes beneath the blanket. Her hands were soft and supple when she was rubbing the stiffness from his muscles. The red hair of his fantasizing faded to auburn and he thought, as his cock fell, of Sansa Stark. He wondered if her name had come up during any of his fevered gibbering.

Another young woman he failed. He wondered if she truly ended up escaping Kings Landing, and whether or not her current cage was any better than her last. Or if she'd finally fell away from the merlons to realizing that she couldn't fly, to bash her pretty little skull open below. He'd heard from Polliver that Sansa was missing and married as well to Tyrion Lannister. The thought made him raise his lip disgustedly in a snarl. He thought of the little bugger touching her and performing his husband's duty.

Sandor thought of when he'd left; he'd offered to take her. Free her from all of the shit and poison she'd been wallowing in half consciously since the day she first gracefully walked into the Red Keep, her head held high and eyes bright. He'd wanted her for himself, to keep her beautiful and pure, something lovely in his world that was full of dark and monstrous things. The little bird was terrified of him, so she rightfully should be. He'd put a fucking knife to her throat. All he wanted was for her to sing for him, like she would have any other fucking knight looking to earn her regard. He'd admitted to her sister too that he wanted to fuck her. What man didn't who had seen her? Sighing, he adjusted himself and pulled his hand out to lay on top of the covers again. Little Sansa Stark.

"Flew away, to some other gilded cage. I hope they don't ruin you." Though he whispered into the darkness as if saying a prayer, Sandor had never uttered a true prayer after the death of his sister. He knew though that Sansa was going to end up as dark and twisted as everyone else. Life spared no person from pain, and death was the most precious gift given at birth; a way out from the constant torment that was life.

Dawn began to break behind the curtain across window in the wooden door. It was a relief to see that another day would be greeting him. Aurelia was slowly waking, he could hear her stand and fill the kettle again with water from a pitcher. She walked to the opening in the curtain.

"Good morning Sandor." She called softly smiling in the morning light.

"Morning." It came out more gruffly than he had intended, but what did he care anyway. He was thinking how lovely this type of moment would be, under other circumstances. "More warm piss tea for me?"

"Thank you, again, for last night." Aurelia murmured softly, changing the subject as she cast her eyes down, blushing thinking about the fact that Sandor had seen her in her shift. If Sandor hadn't been paying close attention, he wouldn't have known she'd spoken at all. "I hope that I didn't keep you awake."

"Doesn't bloody matter now, does it? You murmured Gregor's name so much if I didn't know better already I'd think you were lovers." He sneered, letting some of his jealousy show. Aurelia's head snapped up at his comment, her face blanching and lips pulling into a tight line. Her hands balled at her sides and she looked for the world like she wanted to slap him. Sandor was trying to be purposefully spiteful with his last comment. He knew that it would make Aurelia like him less, maybe even hate him. The sooner that happened and she realized how much anguish her infatuation with him would cause her, the better.

"I would never have sex with that monster." Aurelia spit through her teeth, her face turning a dangerous shade of red. "Or are you jealous? Sniffing after your bigger brothers leavings? Sulking about because you've a scar from him." Her voice becoming shriller.

"You had better shut up woman, before I come and silence you." Sandor glowered menacingly at Aurelia from the bed.

"So, you are just like him!" She shrilled throwing her head back and laughed manically. "Why couldn't I see the resemblance before?"

With considerable effort, Sandor propelled himself from the bed and lunged at her. Seething with anger he couldn't feel his body protesting the movement. His leg bled freely, and the gash on his head began to trickle down his neck. In two long strides he stood before her with is hand raised to, what Aurelia thought, strike. However, he grabbed both of the hands that she had placed on either side of her head and gripped her wrists, tossing her to the bed and pinning her there, a shadow of what had happened hours before. Her laughing stopped abruptly.

"I am _nothing_ like my fucking brother." He ground out viciously. Spittle from his mouth landed on her cheeks, he considered wrapping his hands around her throat, but then that would contradict his previous statement. His face was pulled into a fierce snarl. "Say it."

Something in her cracked then. She had not cried since the second time Gregor burned her, perhaps a tear or two, but nothing like what Sandor was facing now. Sobs wracked her body, her eyes became wellsprings, and her nose began to run. His expression changed instantly from malice to alarm. Their mutual anger had been easy to deal with, it fed off of one another escalating out of control. Anger was an emotion that he was comfortable with, familiar with. The tempest of emotions that Aurelia was now hurling toward him was something that he was not accustomed to dealing with. In this moment of uncertainty, Sandor found himself holding the woman that he previously would have liked to strangle. He awkwardly let her wail away on his shoulder, as he patted her on the back. A few moments passed before he spoke.

"Stop, you have to stop crying." He took her by the shoulders and shook her while she sobbed in front of him. "Snap out of it. I shouldn't have pressed the issue." He shook her harder. "It was a bad… joke." He finished lamely.

"A bad… joke?" At least she had stopped crying. "I guess you couldn't really know. What it was like…" Sandor thought that she looked like she was about to vomit. "I'm sorry. Sorry… for everything. For… getting so out of control." She shivered sitting in front of him between his legs looking very small.

"I am… sorry… as well." The word tasted foreign on his tongue. "I thought maybe it would rile you. Nothing more." Pressing the issue however, had given him great insight to the depth of Aurelia's scar. He now knew that her time with Gregor had been worse than he first imagined.

"You don't have to use such underhanded means to push me away." She looked at him sharply with her eyes narrowed. Sandor felt sheepish and transparent sitting before her. Still awkward from her outburst, he motioned for her to get out from between his legs.

"I'm a killer, a dog. I've killed all hundreds at the call of my master. Nothing but a bitter tormented soul. You have no place getting close enough to me for me to push you away." He made sure to look her in the eyes when he made this claim. So that she would understand the weight of his claim; he would damn her if she ever came to truly yearn for him. His hand rose to swipe one last tear that was trailing down her cheek. The action contradicting what he claimed he wanted. Aurelia felt very unsure and overwhelmed. A theme for the last day it seems.

The kettle over the fire began to whistle, and the moment between the two was broken. Aurelia rose to remove it from the fire and pour two cups of tea. Letting them steep, she turned and moved again behind the curtain. "Let us start this morning over..." She made a swiping motion through the air as if to cleanse the cramped space of the previous confrontation. "Good morning Sandor."

"Good morning Aurelia." Some, but not all of the tension eased from the room.

"Let me tend to your bandages." She bent to check the freely bleeding wounds, her mouth pinching at the sight. "They've reopened."

"Well, I was quite fast…" He chuckled darkly before groaning at the pain shooting up his leg from Aurelia poking the wound. "Was that on purpose?!" He ground out.

"Never! How dare you accuse me of such things. A healer always puts the welfare of her charge before her feelings." She snickered a bit at the end. He did deserve it, a little. "Besides, you're not that fast, I could out run you…"

"As I said before, I would find you…" This time Aurelia didn't challenge him back. It made his comment more charged as it hung in the air. Her eyes slowly rose to his, looking at him pointedly before returning to her work. Was he flirting with her now? Sandor thought he was in desperate need to get some fresh air and remove himself from the company of these damned confusing women. Sandor cleared his throat. "When is this Elder Brother coming anyway?"

"Soon, this morning, I will go for him. I don't know if he will want me here during his conversation with you. Don't be alarmed though, he is quite harmless."

After finding out that he had been bedridden for a month Sandor wanted to know why the seven hells an old brother wanted to keep him alive. He was looking forward to meeting the Elder Brother, and if his name rung true at all, he expected an old wrinkly man with no spine. Sandor thought that should have died along the river, finally put to rest; he wanted to curse the fucker who decided it was not yet time for him to go to hell.


End file.
